Carpet-stretcher.



Noi 870,671. PATENTED NOV. 12, 1907. I. PREED.

CARPET STRBTCHER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 16, 1907.

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PATENTED NOV. 12, 1907.

I. FRBED.

CARPET STRETGHER.

APPLICATION FILED APR.16, 1907.

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ISAAC FREED, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA,

CARPET-STRETCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 12, 1907.

Application filed April 15 1907. Serial 110- 368,334-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Isaac FREED, a citizen of the United States,residing at Harrisburg, in the county of Dauphin and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCarpet- Stretchers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention is an improved carpet stretcher, and it consists in theconstruction, combination and arrangement of devices hereinafterdescribed and claimed. 7

Que object of my invention is to provide an improved carpet stretcher,which is extremely light, cheap and portable, which may be readilydisposed compactly, so as to take up but little space when not in use,and which when so disposed presents no projecting points to tear theclothing or injure the person of the user.

A further object is to effect improvements in the means for gripping thecarpet.

A further object is to provide improved means for holding the carpetstretched while tacking the same to the floor.

In the accompanying drawings,Figure 1 is a side elevation of a carpetstretcher embodying my improvements, showing the same engaged with acarpet and employed in stretching the same; Fig. 2 is a top plan view ofthe same; Fig. 3 is an elevation showing the holder engaged with thecarpet to hold the same to the floor after the carpet has been stretchedand while the same is being tacked; and Fig. 4 is a similar view showingthe stretcher folded,

In the embodiment of my invention, I provide a stretcherhead 1, which isa cross-bar at the inner end of a bar 2. Said bar has an upraisedportion 3 at a suit able distance from its rear end, is provided with adepending guide loop 4 at its outer end and is provided on its upperside, near its inner end, with a pair ol upwardly-extending ears 5. Onthe ends of the stretcher head are pivoted the ends of a holding bail(i. Said holding bail is provided with a holding bar 7, which has spurs8 which extend downwardly when the said holding bail is in use. A bar 9is slid-ably related to the bar 2, bears under the same, passes throughthe guide loop 4, and has on its inner end an upwardlyextending guideloop 10. which engages and travels on the bar 2. Said bar 9 has ratchetteeth 11 on its upper side for a suitable distance from its outer endand its said. outer end is downwardly and outwardly turned. as at 12,and is provided with a depending spur 13 to be pressed into the floornear the washboard when the device is used for stretching carpet. Thesaid bar 2 is provide dnear its outer end with a pivotally mounted dog14, here shown as substantially U-shaped, and which 'coacts with theratchet teeth of the bar 9, as will be understood. 7

A stretcher level-i5 is also provided, which is adapted to engage theratchet. teeth of the bar 9 and is connected with the bar 2 by links 16,each of which has its outer end pivotally connected to said lever andits inner end pivotally connected to said bar 2;

A clamping jaw 17 is employed in coaction with the stretcher head 1 tograsp and clamp the carpet between them. Said clamping jaw is providedwith a guide loop 18, which operates on the inner end portion of the bar2 to connect said jaw to said bar for longitudinal movement withreference thereto and the said loop has on its upper side a pair ofupstanding ears 19, between which a guide loop 20 is pivotally mounted.A jaw-operating lever 21 has its inner end pivotally mounted between thelugs 5 of the bar 2 and is connected by a link 22 to the guide 20, thesaid link being adapted to move freely in longitudinal direction throughthe said guide and having a screw-threaded portion which extends throughan unthreaded opening in said guide. On the said screw-threaded portionare adjusting nuts 23, 24, which are on opposite sides of the guide andwhich are employed to firmly adjust the jaw 17 with reference to thestretcher head 1, according to the thickness of the carpet which is tobe grasped between said stretcher head and said jaw. The said lever andthe said link form a toggle connection between the clamping jaw and thebar 2 and assuming that the link has been adjusted as required by thethickness of the carpet and that the latter has been doubled at a pointat some distance from its outer edge and placed between said stretcherhead and jaw, said jaw may be closed upon said carpet to compress thesame between such jaw and stretcher head by operating the lever 21 andturning such lever to the position shown in Fig. 1, so as to move thepivotal connection between the link and the lever slightly past the deadcenter of the lever and so as to engage the latter with one of theadjusting nuts and cause such nut to act as a stop for such lever. .Whenthus disposed, the lever will remain in such position and hold theclamping jaw in the required position to clamp the carpet between it andthe stretcher head.

It will be understood that when the bar 9 has been attached to the floorby the engagement of its spur therewith, and the carpet has beenattached to the stretcher head, the carpet may be stretched by operatingthe lever 15, so as to cause it to coact with the ratchet bar 9 indrawing said bar 2 and the stretcher head forward. When the carpet isbeing stretched, the holding bail is elevated, so that its spurs are outof engagement with the carpet. When the carpet has been suffi cientlystretched, the holding bail is turned down upon the same, then theoperator with one foot forces the spurs thereof through the carpet intothe floor, thereby holding the stretched carpet to the floor, as shownin Fig. 3, and the stretcher head and clamping jaw are disengaged fromthe carpet and the latter is tacked permanently to the floor at thewashboard or outer edge of the carpet, after which the holding bail iswithdrawn from the carpet and floor.

It will be observed by reference to Fig. 4, that when the device is notin use, the bar 9 may be moved inward under the bar 2, the lever 15 and'its link 16 may be folded down over the bar 2, and the holding bail maybe turned under the inner portion of the bar 2 and hence disposed in acompact position out of the way where its spurs cannot project to tearthe clothing or injure the person of the user. It will be furtherapparent'that when thus folded, the device is reduced to a very smallcompass, and that it may be readily grasped and carried from place toplace.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the inventionwill be readily understood Without requiring a more extendedexplanation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters-Patent, is,

1. In a carpet stretcher, the combination of'means for grasping acarpet, a ratchet bar connected therewith for longitudinal movement andhaving means to engage the floor, a dog, carried by said carpet-graspingmeans, and a lever, connected with said carpet-grasping means andadapted to coact with the ratchet bar to move said carpetgrasping meansin the direction required to stretch the carpet.

2. In a carpet stretcher, the combination of a carpet grasping elementcomprising a bar, a head carried by said bar, a jaw movable on said bartoward and from the head, and means to operate and lock said jaw; aratchet bar connected to the first-mentioned bar for longitudinalmovement and having means to temporarily secure it to a floor, a dog,carried by the firstmentioned bar to coact with the ratchet bar, alever, and links connecting said lever to the firstmentioned bar, saidlever being adapted to engage the ratchet bar, for the purpose set forth3. In a carpet stretcher, the combination of a stretcher head, alongitudinal bar extending therefrom and having a dog at its outer end,a jaw having a guide loop slidable on the longitudinal bar, said jawcoacting with said stretcher head to grasp the carpet between them, aguide pivotally mounted on said guide loop, a lever pivotally connectedto the said longitudinal bar for vertical angular movement, a screw linkpivotally connected to said lever and free to slide in the saidpivotally mounted guide, adjusting nuts on said screw link on oppositesides of said guide, a ratchet bar slidably connected to the said1ongitudinal bar and having means at its outer end to engage the floor,said ratchet bar being engaged by said dog, an operat ing lever forcoaction with said ratchet bar, and links pivotally connected to saidoperating lever and to said longitudinal bar, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

ISAAC FREED.

Witnesses:

C. G. Nrnsnnr, H. H. FREEBURN.

